


Tag, You're It

by casbean



Series: Askbean Prompts [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Askbox Fic, Fluff, Jock Dean, M/M, Neko Atsume - Freeform, Nerd Castiel, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 20:38:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7453159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casbean/pseuds/casbean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean accidentally finds himself in a bathroom stall listening to a very cute boy rambling about a game about fictional kittens. He's not sure how it happened, but he's not complaining.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tag, You're It

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "Persons A and B are in neighbouring stalls in the bathroom. Person A sticks their phone under the divider, thinking person B is their friend, to show off their neko atsume cat collection. Person B takes the phone and doesn't say anything while person A rambles on. When they both exit the stalls, person A is super flustered but person B just thinks it's cute."

Dean walks towards the bathroom not thinking about anything peculiar, except that he has at least ten more minutes to kill before he absolutely needs to go back to class. He decides to go check his hair in the mirror and almost gets hit in the face by the door of the bathroom being swiftly open. 

He finds himself face to face with the handsome face of Michael Novak, a boy from his math class, who slides out of the bathroom quickly and quietly with only one mysterious whisper at Dean’s intention: “tag, you’re it.”

Dean doesn’t understand what that means until he steps into the small room containing two stalls and two urinals. Someone is already in one of the stalls and is _talking_ \- sounds more like rambling, actually - apparently unaware that their companion has just bailed on them. They’re so busy marvelling about how cute Marshmallow and Cocoa look sitting together on the Tower of Treats that they don’t hear Dean walking in and sitting in the stall next to them.

Dean smiles to himself. He recognizes the warm - and recently deepened by puberty - voice of Castiel Novak, Michael’s twin. They’re not identical, which Dean is thankful for, because if Michael has that universally hot jock kind of look, Castiel is… cute. Adorable, even, but in a gorgeous, fascinating kind of way. 

They’ve never really talked, actually, but Dean’s had a few classes with him over the years and couldn’t help staring dreamingly at him from across the room. He likes the way Castiel’s hair always sticks out on top of his head, and the way it curls up behind his ears. He likes the way Cas is always scribbling something on the corner of his pages in his long, elegant hands. He likes the way his neck curves, and he likes the pretty colours of Cas’ sweaters. 

He likes a lot of things about him, and has for several years, but Cas is a brainiac and Dean is a jock, and if they go to maybe the only school in America where it doesn’t mean either of them is more “popular”, their school is big enough that they simply don’t run in the same circles, don’t have the same friends, and don’t really see each other. 

But today Dean will take listening to Cas ramble about things that have weird names like Peach and Shadow and Ganache and who use “items” like a Cardboard Choo-Choo and a Pancake Cushion and a Choco Cornet Tunnel. He has no freaking idea what the guy is even talking about but it doesn’t matter. Cas is passionate about it and it’s adorable.

What he doesn’t expect though, is when Castiel leans over in the other cabin and tells him to look at all the pictures of Peach he’s got, and slides him the phone from under the separating wall. 

Dean takes it with slightly shaky fingers, careful not to touch Cas’ as he grabs the device. He has to admit, he's pretty curious about what this can all be about. He finds himself looking at what appears to be… pictures of cats. Funny little _drawings_ of cats, actually, sitting and laying on cushions and mats and playing with toys and colourful furnitures. It’s cute, Dean has got to say. He comes back to the “yard” part to see some of the cats “in action”, playing with the toys at their disposition. He’s not sure he fully understands the concept except for the cute part, but Cas seems really enthusiastic about it since he’s been talking about it for God knows how long.

Finally Dean hands the phone back, and since he doesn’t dare make a comment because Cas would recognize his voice, the incessant flow of words has finally dried up. Dean quickly gets up and walks out of the stall, hoping that Castiel will start blabbering again and he’ll be able to slip out unnoticed. 

But then he hears the other stall door open behind him, a gasp, and the very noticeable sound of a phone hitting the floor. He turns around to find Castiel crouched down and scrambling on the floor to grab his phone. When he finally manages to get back up, his cheeks are flushed an adorable shade of pink and he looks completely flustered.

“You’re not Michael,” Cas says, his voice shaking.

He stands in front of Dean, his hands hanging by his side.

“No, uh, sorry about that, he’s actually been gone for like fifteen minutes,” Dean admits, feeling a little heat himself as his heart beats against his ribcage. 

Cas only looks more embarrassed. His full lips tremble. “Oh, God.”

Dean feels so guilty that he takes a step forward, in an attempt to make a weird friendly gesture.

“I’m Dean,” he offers. “And that game looks fun! It’s really cute.”

The bright smile that spreads on Castiel’s lips finally loosens the knot in Dean’s chest.

“I know. I mean, I know that your name is Dean.”

Dean is surprised.

“Oh. Cool. You’re Castiel, right?”

“Yes, you know my name?”

“Yeah, of course, we’ve had like three classes together. You, uh, you usually sit in the front, next to the right window.” 

The shade of Cas’ cheeks darken but a small, amused smile rises on his lips. Dean suddenly doesn’t know where to put his hands. He feels like the idiot now, he said way too much. He sounds like a stalker. But Cas is now smiling to the floor like someone who’s trying really hard not to grin from ear to ear, and Dean is praying to God that it’s a smile of flustered happiness and not a smile of mockery. Hopefully.

“Well, I’m sorry I bored you with my stupid cat game,” Cas eventually says after they’ve both been looking at the dirty bathroom floor and shooting shy grins at each other for a whole minute.

“Nah, no worries, I was just trying to kill some time until the bell rang anyway.”

Cas giggles. Dean can't tear his eyes away from the dimples on his cheeks and the crinkles on his nose.

“I guess for Michael not even the promise of missing the end of class was sweet enough to endure me rambling about my fictional kittens,” Cas sighs. “I’ve been talking my family’s ears off about it, it appears.”

“He could just buy you a real kitten and you’d be too busy to ever play the game again,” Dean suggests.

For real though, Cas plus kittens would be a deadly combination. Dean isn't sure he would survive.

“I love cats, I am dying to get one - or a thousand, even - from a rescue, but my whole family is allergic except for me,” Cas murmurs sadly, shrugging. “That’s why I care so much about this game and taking care of those little cats that come to my yard.”

Dean takes a deep breath and another step closer, gesturing awkwardly with his hands.

“Well, if you want… I have a cat. More than one, actually. My mom works at a rescue and we’re a foster family, so we always have cats and kittens at home that we keep while they wait for people to officially adopt them.”

Cas’ eyes light up as Dean says the words and he stares at him in amazement. 

“Really? You’re so lucky!”

“Well, you know, you could - if you want - you can always come spend time with me, you know, do homework, or just… hang out. At my place. With the cats. And me. Or just the cats. Whatever you want.”

Cas’ smile widens and he takes a step forward too, crowding into Dean’s personal space with a boldness Dean didn’t expect of him. His cheeks are flashing like road flares but his blue eyes are clear and decided as they gaze down to Dean’s mouth, where they linger for a moment before sliding back up.

“As long as you are included in the package, I would enjoy that very much.”


End file.
